What controls you? No, I’m not talking about your boss, your spouse or the government. Instead, think of your body as an industrial control system. Now, what controls you? Hopefully, you said your brain, although the heart is an acceptable answer sometimes. But for now, let’s focus on the brain and the nervous system as…
One of the biggest factors in any PLC buying decision is the capability of the programming software. How easy is it to use? What does it offer? PLC hardware is only half of the equation, and who wants to buy a controller only to find out the software is lacking the basics? No thanks! So,…
In Understanding Ladder Logic we touched on the origins of Ladder Logic, its structure and execution. So now that we have a understanding of what Ladder Logic is, we can dig a little deeper into how ladder instructions work. And to do that, we need to first understand Boolean math and logic gates. Now, this blog…
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Ladder Logic in Action
Ladder logic programming for industrial controllers has evolved significantly over the years, and now supports advanced functionality such as process control, motion control, data manipulation, networking, and data acquisition. However, when you start with a blank page to design a new control system, large or small, there are many basic functions this tried-and-true language is…
Lock your doors, board up the windows, and prepare yourself for a deeper look into PID loops! Now, if you are still here, great! If you ran out of the room screaming like I did, you can catch up later. For some, PID loops can be scary. After all, they are pretty complex and involve…
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PLC Communications - Coming of Age
PLC communications has grown and changed over the many years since the controller’s inception decades ago. Industrial needs and technological advances have kept PLC communications evolving, and this post will explore some past and present communication standards, and what the future may hold. PLC Partners in Communications PLCs need to communicate to a number of different…
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EtherNet/IP: Implicit vs. Explicit Messaging
Over the years, Ethernet/IP has grown into an impressive industrial Ethernet communication network for connecting automation equipment, processes and machines. Keys to its success are the network and transport layers where explicit and implicit messaging takes place; here’s how to use these features to optimize your EtherNet/IP networks. Please refer to the Table and Diagram…
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Portable Water Treatment Platform Removes Phosphorus Economically
A trailer-mounted water treatment process controlled by a Productivity2000 PLC has recently been developed at the University of Idaho. Professor Greg Möller, in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, along with engineers from the College of Engineering have teamed up to build the platform, and to further research the economical removal of phosphorus from various…
Back when he worked in a foundry, Doug Bell never imagined he would trade in his career as an electrician for becoming a teacher, but that’s in fact what happened. The transition came about more than 20 years ago, while he was attending a product training class, when he formulated an idea on how he…
Like many of us, PLCs have been around for decades. Also like many of us, they are improving as they grow in age and intelligence. PACs are a newer creation, originating in the 21st century. Now, it looks like these two product categories are coming together, with the result being the PLC-based PAC. This new name…